History Channel Miniseries: The World Wars

[ajbUSWM]

I watched it with my 15yr old son. He knew almost all of the figures that were represented in the show but only in regards to what they did in WWII. While we were watching it he said "we fought in Mexico?" "Patton and Hitler were in WWI?" "I thought we were in WWI the whole time" "I didn't know Italy was in WWI". Before it was even over he was on his phone looking up stuff on WWI. I definitely agree some of the scenes in it were cringe worthy, but judging by his questions, I think it had it's desired effect.

 

That is positive feedback.

 

Let him know that the US was not "too busy" fighting with Mexico and Pancho Villa to pay attention to the war in Europe. That is complete nonsense. We had more volunteer troops in Europe that on the Mexican border at that time and were supplying the allies to keep the war going. So much for the show "experts."

 

They also intentionally omitted Woodrow Wilson's impact on our military prior to WWI that cast a cloud over our military for almost 40 years.

[Dr_rambow]

 

However when Hitler shaved his mustache into the trademark "Hitler-stache" during WW1 in the trenches after a gas attach, apparently he used a Fairbairn-Sykes knife that wasn't produced until 1941.

 

CRAZY historical inaccuracies.

-Brian

 

I find this really amusing. In a war where you probably could have gotten away with nearly any old looking civilan knife, they had to use something so utterly wrong.

[plick27]

"However when Hitler shaved his mustache into the trademark "Hitler-stache" during WW1 in the trenches after a gas attach, apparently he used a Fairbairn-Sykes knife that wasn't produced until 1941."

 

That was one of the times I scratched my head and said, whiskey tango foxtrot?

[KASTAUFFER]

Check out the bayonet and scabbard Hitler was using one one of the scenes as well.

 

They obviously did not use a "technical director" who was aiming for the historical accuracy of the "props".

 

Kurt

[History Man]

Anyone else realize that MacArthur had ribbons all the way through WW2 right after WW1 in the scenes? Man, that man was so bad that he fought both world wars before ANYONE.

 

I just couldn't stop watching it, like when you are watching a car accident....so many face-palm moments along with cringing during the scenes. History Channel has spent so much time on reality shows that they really messed this one up. I can see the general concept of the show (somewhat) but in the overall sense, it has the same cheesiness as a SyFy Channel movie (Im thinking about that Sharknado for one, in terms of graphics and acting).

 

I may watch the others coming up, but I am debating it.

 

Philip

[cutiger83]

Is history getting lost in the need to critique every knife, uniform, and gun? The historical side was being slammed before anyone even watched the series. Before even watching one minute of the show, one forum member was trying to say that they were “rewriting history”. The focus of the series is on Hitler, Churchill, DeGaulle, MacArthur, Patton, Stalin, and Mussolini. It sounds like this has sparked some interest in WWI which is a good thing. Let’s talk about the history being portrayed instead of complaining ad nausea about uniforms and weapons.

 

...Kat

[kammo-man]

what was that WW1 US tank ?……...

 

Hot tub tank time machine ….

[Dave]

Is history getting lost in the need to critique every knife, uniform, and gun? The historical side was being slammed before anyone even watched the series. Before even watching one minute of the show, one forum member was trying to say that they were “rewriting history”. The focus of the series is on Hitler, Churchill, DeGaulle, MacArthur, Patton, Stalin, and Mussolini. It sounds like this has sparked some interest in WWI which is a good thing. Let’s talk about the history being portrayed instead of complaining ad nausea about uniforms and weapons.

 

...Kat

 

Kat:

 

There are a couple issues:

 

1. If they so badly screwed up the technical part of the movie, what else, historically, was screwed up? While most of us here can competently discuss uniforms/medals/weapons/vehicles, only a few are real experts on the historical accuracies, and thus, the discussion tends to go the way of the knowledge base of the majority. This is the "U.S. Militaria Forum"...not the "U.S. Military History Discussion Forum"...they have those and I'm certain that they are having their own share of mud-slinging discussions about the historical inaccuracies. We discuss militaria here - and that focuses on uniforms, medals, weapons, and the like, so thus the discussion goes that way.

 

2. The bigger concept is that the History Channel SHOULD be able to create a better quality product...after all, they ARE the History Channel. There are companies out there chomping at the bit to get their productions picked up by the History Channel, and have done everything to polish them to make them the best they can be...and then the Channel goes and picks up something like this that is grossly inaccurate...it's kind of disheartening.

 

3. Finally, technical advisers are pretty easy to find if you invest a minute or two to Google what you're looking for. However, the producers obviously let that part of due diligence fall of the plate when they invested the money into the show. Amazing.

 

Dave

[CNY Militaria]

 

We discuss militaria here - and that focuses on uniforms, medals, weapons, and the like, so thus the discussion goes that way.

 

 

 

I agree, that is our forum base and members' field of interest, hence why the discussion revolves around the equipage.

[Dave]

An addendum to my above post...unfortunately, it appears that the military history discussion forums are also caught up on the incorrect uniforms, vehicles, weapons, etc...

[cutiger83]

 

They also intentionally omitted Woodrow Wilson's impact on our military prior to WWI that cast a cloud over our military for almost 40 years.

 

Wilson was not one of the main characters being portrayed so I am not sure why you think they "intentionally omitted" this fact. The show is about the principle cast of WWII, and how their experiences in WWI shaped who they became. However,since you brought it up, rather than throw out one sentence accusations elaborate on what you are referring to about Wilson.

[Dave]

 

Wilson was not one of the main characters being portrayed so I am not sure why you think they "intentionally omitted" this fact. The show is about the principle cast of WWII, and how their experiences in WWI shaped who they became. However,since you brought it up, rather than throw out one sentence accusations elaborate on what you are referring to about Wilson.

 

Let's not let this thread devolve into a political discussion...remember, we discuss militaria...that's our area of expertise...

[cutiger83]

 

Kat:

 

There are a couple issues:

 

 

1) I see so many posts on here about people talking about how they collect items because of the sacrifices made by so many. For instance, someone may collect KIA purple hearts because they want to honor the memory of the fallen soldier. Or they like a helmet because it portrays the “fighting soldier”. Doesn’t it matter what they were fighting for and what led up to the war? I believe that history and collecting go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other.

 

2) What is grossly inaccurate may be the uniforms but is the History grossly inaccurate? It is the History Channel not the Military Collectors Channel.

 

3) Every post I see on here regarding a movie/show complains about inaccuracies. I don’t believe there is a technical adviser alive that would satisfy everyone on this forum

[cutiger83]

 

Let's not let this thread devolve into a political discussion...remember, we discuss militaria...that's our area of expertise...

 

I wasn't thinking about it from a political view point but more of a historical. What did he do that changed the military for the next 40 years?

[Garandomatic]

It isn't an activity in critiquing every knife and gun. There could have been an attempt to at least try, and it appears that in every case, they opted for a glaring anachronism. Amateurish at best. If history and collecting go hand in hand, it is not unreasonable to criticize, and I fail to see how it, or much of anything else of late, makes us "lose sight of history." None of us have a monopoly on that call.

[Bugme]

As stated earlier history comes from books(written by the victor). Video is entertainment. While documentaries and movies carry aspects of history(some more than others), the fact remains, it is still entertainment. I gave up being a button counter years ago when my wife kept telling me I was ruining the movie.

[plick27]

 

1) I see so many posts on here about people talking about how they collect items because of the sacrifices made by so many. For instance, someone may collect KIA purple hearts because they want to honor the memory of the fallen soldier. Or they like a helmet because it portrays the “fighting soldier”. Doesn’t it matter what they were fighting for and what led up to the war? I believe that history and collecting go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other.

 

2) What is grossly inaccurate may be the uniforms but is the History grossly inaccurate? It is the History Channel not the Military Collectors Channel.

 

3) Every post I see on here regarding a movie/show complains about inaccuracies. I don’t believe there is a technical adviser alive that would satisfy everyone on this forum

 

Hope Owen doesn't read this!

 

[cutiger83]

 

Hope Owen doesn't read this!

 

 

My point exactly! Did you see some of the discussion on the Fury movie and the movie isn't even out yet?

 

...Kat

[subsystem4]

 

... or Nazi time machines....

i actually don't mind the Nazi time machines. lol

it just irks me that a documentary with this level of production has WWI soldiers with p37 web gear and americans with an Enfields. I don't consider myself a button counter but come on at least get some gear from the right country and era to equip the actors portraying each army. There are 1000s of reenactors with the right gear who would die to do play war on that scale. I would put up with 250lb doughboys as long as they had m1910 gear and springfields or m1917 rifles. That A&E move Lost Battalion did a better job.

[subsystem4]

If someone claims to be an expert, or have expert consultants, or that things are accurate and correct, they deserve to be called out for it if they do a bad job.

 

The reason this show is crap, is that they just didn't care, and didn't put enough money into it to do it right. If no one makes their feelings known that "history shows" should be done to a reasonable standard, this is all we will ever get.

 

IF enough people shame them, then maybe next time they will take a slightly less profit and do a better job.

I agree.

[Thor996]

As stated earlier history comes from books(written by the victor). Video is entertainment. While documentaries and movies carry aspects of history(some more than others), the fact remains, it is still entertainment. I gave up being a button counter years ago when my wife kept telling me I was ruining the movie.

 

LOL i have been accused ruining the movie many times myself. The last time I had this much fun making fun of a hollyrot production was Kingdom of Heaven. Now THAT was some BAD history........but some neat fantasy cinematography.. .

 

I Just put this krapola series on to watch bc there is NOTHING else on television until the zombies come back in the fall and consider the source- how that network calls itself 'History' anymore baffles me more than the historical/weapons/uniforms, faux pas and inaccuracies all combined. If ANY value comes out of this it would be for the people who had their interest piqued and will READ the real history.

[BROBS]

i actually don't mind the Nazi time machines. lol

it just irks me that a documentary with this level of production has WWI soldiers with p37 web gear and americans with an Enfields. I don't consider myself a button counter but come on at least get some gear from the right country and era to equip the actors portraying each army. There are 1000s of reenactors with the right gear who would die to do play war on that scale. I would put up with 250lb doughboys as long as they had m1910 gear and springfields or m1917 rifles.

Well said.

 

I wasn't sitting poised to nitpick by any means. I also am not an expert nor do I claim to be... so when I can obviously notice ridiculous errors in the space-time continuum, I'm sure there are others out there noticing tons more than myself. I was fully ready to enjoy this movie series for its intended purpose: entertainment.

 

It's like no effort at all was made to be even remotely historically accurate gear-wise... and in some cases event-wise.

Seems like they just dropped off a few crates of gear leaving the actors to just grab whatever stuff they liked.

-Brian

[Jim Baker]

I have read a few books about WWII and it's cast of leading characters. One little tidbit that got me scratching my head was the Brit who had Hitler in his sights but couldn't pull the trigger. Am I somewhat safe in yelling BS!?

 

And I have to laugh at the Stuart. Not even being picky, it was pretty brave of old George to ride that baby into the teeth of the enemy.

 

Some of the "history" I'm going to have to review.......

[cutiger83]

One little tidbit that got me scratching my head was the Brit who had Hitler in his sights but couldn't pull the trigger. Am I somewhat safe in yelling BS!?

 

I found this on wikipedia.

 

"Although disputed, Adolf Hitler and Tandey allegedly encountered each other after the battle at Marcoing. The story is set in October 1914, while Tandey was serving with the Green Howard's Regiment, and relates that a weary German soldier wandered into Tandey's line of fire. The enemy soldier was wounded and did not even attempt to raise his own rifle. Tandey chose not to shoot. The German soldier saw him lower his rifle and nodded his thanks before wandering off. That soldier is purported to have been Adolf Hitler."

 

There is more information on wikipedia.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Tandey

[sheepy]

is that churchill in the trenches with a 1903?